


Dagger and Mask

by john97



Category: A Discovery of Witches (TV), All Souls Trilogy - Deborah Harkness
Genre: 16th Century, Conspiracy, F/M, Human/Vampire Relationship, Hurt/Comfort, Magic, Other Characters - Freeform, Slow Burn, Smut, Vampires, Venice, Wine, bundling
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-05
Updated: 2019-10-26
Packaged: 2020-10-10 15:02:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 8,053
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20529977
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/john97/pseuds/john97
Summary: Philippe sends Baldwin to Venice. From the very beginning, everything goes wrong.





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> “Her name was Carla. Her name means brave.”  
“She was very brave. She tried to steal his dagger, he so admired her audacity that he fell in love with her.

**Arrival in Venice (November)**

Baldwin arrived in Venice. However, now, for November in this damp city, it was relatively warm and dry, how dry it can be in the city on water. This season in Venice was without excessive rainfall and flooding.

His father initially wanted to send Matthew to Venice, but his brother ran away to England with some contrived excuse. Baldwin hated ships and voyages, the city on the water disturbed him, he suggested that his father send Gallowglass to Venice, but his father insisted, and here he was in the middle of a noisy square.

Baldwin was two days late for an appointment, all because of a fucking ship. Despite his love for Italy, Venice always bothered him. Now he stands in the middle of a square filled with human and creatures, a cacophony of sounds, voices, and heartbeats. He felt everything, some of the people were sick, someone needs to wash, the witches smelled of magic. Voices boomed, cooed pigeons, a child cried somewhere. All this is very annoyed sensitive senses of a vampire.

In the midst of all this, he missed a little creature that came too close to him and stole his dagger. Damn it! Only this he lacked! He wanted to catch up with the pickpocket and forever disincline the pickpocket from stole other people's things. There were too many people in the square; he didn’t want to demonstrate his forces in public. But the crowd didn't slow down the thief. The pickpocket could be mistaken for a teenage boy. But it was a girl, rather young, no longer a child, but still young. She smelled of bonfire and cinnamon, as well as adrenaline and fear, and she had his a dagger. Baldwin could easily track her by her smell. She deftly waded through the crowd and she clearly planned to hide in a maze of narrow streets. But it will not work that way with him, he can smell her and the maze of streets will not trouble him, he knows this city, and narrow empty streets are an advantage for him, hardly anyone will notice him.

As soon as the girl stopped running and disappeared behind the next corner, he accelerated and overtook her. And he stands in front of her the girl didn't expect this. Her pulse went off is very high. Her strands of blond hair stuck from under the hood. She surely didn't think at the next turn she would stumble upon her recent _“victim”._

“You have something mine.”

“I don't know what you're talking about.” She tried to lie to him.

“No, you know,” Baldwin said, pressing she against the wall, running his hand into her bag and search for his the dagger. “I'm not in the mood for detailed games, just bring me the dagger back.” She looked confused and disheveled, but she was not going to give up.

“Oh, the dagger. This one?” She pulled the dagger out of her belt, clearly intending to throw it into the water, thereby distract him and planning to ran away. But Baldwin managed to catch the dagger in the air. The girl ran away at this time, he could have caught up with her, but he didn't, he was already late for the meeting, he didn't want to stay here longer than necessary.

* * *

He went to the palazzo for a meeting. Before the meeting, he was forced to wait. Pitiful revenge for his late. At that moment, he thought, and maybe the doge organized the late of the ship? The meeting didn't go as Baldwin had planned, which he immediately wanted to write to his father. Planned to conclude a very profitable contract, and now the conditions have changed to unfavorable for the de Clermont. At this moment, Baldwin became interested, he felt the challenge, the excitement of the upcoming struggle, he was almost glad he had come to Venice and recent misunderstanding with the theft of almost forgotten.

After the meeting, Baldwin went to the family house, where all his baggage had already been delivered from the ship. There were not many things, he didn't take with him a lot of belongings or a library on trips, as some of his relatives did. To tell the truth, he didn’t have many things, basically, he carried with his weapons and armor, as well as money and writing accessories for letters. He bought new clothes as needed, and just burned old ones.

After making sure that the house was in proper condition, he gave orders to the servants and began to write to his father. In a letter to his father, Baldwin said the new Doge doesn’t intend to use the services of the de Clermont and plans to rule without the advice of Philippe, and also plans to change the terms of all previously concluded trade contracts. Baldwin was sure that his father would not like it and offered to stay in Venice until the issue was resolved.

Having finished writing and sent a letter with a servant, Baldwin drank the first glass of wine of that day. Taking the second glass, he went to the window, with a window overlooking Venice. Slowly enjoying wine, he reflected on the prospects for the city. He hoped his father’s response would come quickly. Baldwin really wanted to take decisive action, but without the approval of his father decided not to act. Philippe de Clermont was not a supporter of negotiations but resorted to violence only when his opponent left no other way out.


	2. Chapter 2

His father quickly responded to the letter, and his orders were obvious to Baldwin, Philippe didn't want bloodshed. It was a business and reputation, now the de Clermont was negotiating, and they didn't needlessly kill, however, Baldwin sometimes acted as he considered necessary, contrary to the orders of his father, and subsequently carried punishment for his actions.

Now was another situation, and he has achieved some success. In recent months, trade-in Venice was on favorable terms for the de Clermont, but still not as favorable as Philippe originally wanted.

Carnival was taking place in Venice now. The rich and notable loafers from the whole of Italy and not only Italy came to Venice to see the famous masquerade. February didn't stop guests with harsh weather, and they were not stopped by a cold sea voyage, they all arrived in a damp city.

Baldwin was at one of the events in celebration of the carnival, nobles with colorful masks and with no less colorful outfits crowded in the house and courtyard near the Rio di San Polo canal, they bragged to each other about their possessions and servants. He was wearing a golden mask covering the upper part of his face. The mask had golden feathers. The mascherari*, who sold the mask to him, claimed to be a lion mask.

He stood at the edge of the courtyard, where the entire pier, the courtyard, and the entrance to the house were visible, he preferred to control everything, and here he could see everything happening. Sometimes he was distracted by visiting guests and brightly-dressed ladies, who offered him something, that these noble ladies weren't supposed to even know about without masks.

The waiters in black and white masks moved among the guests, one the waitresses caught his attention, he recognized her smell. The smell of cinnamon and bonfire, the smell of orange and tart grapes Negroamaro from the south of Italy. He didn't feel this smell for several months, but there can be no mistakes, this girl tried to steal his dagger. For a while he watched her. She deftly moved between the guests while holding a tray of red wine in her left hand. With her right hand, she occasionally touched the guests, her gestures were light and virtuoso; the guests will not immediately notice the loss of their wallets.

Baldwin headed in her direction, quietly came up behind and leaned as close as possible to her ear. “You still stealing other people's stuff?” She shuddered. Glasses of wine on a tray in her left hand swung slightly. Baldwin squeezed her right arm, for others around them they were just a pair of masked people standing next to each other. No one in the crowd paid attention to them. “Do you want to swim in a canal? I think they will throw you in a canal if they catch you stealing. Or maybe they will just kill you or mutilated for fun. I would bet on a canal, for more they lack imagination. What do you think?”

“First, they must catch me!” The girl snapped. “Who are you? What do you want?’

What did he want? Talk to her about morality? Insult or humiliate her for theft? Or maybe wounded pride wanted revenge for a failed theft? And maybe he is bored in this wet and dreary city, on tedious meetings with no less tedious nobles.

“I would have stolen that peacock’s purse or that elderly lady's necklace.” Baldwin continued to whisper in her ear. Her blond hair tickled his cheek.

“You’re mad!”

“Perhaps. Also, I would certainly have seized the silverware of the noble Michele, he treats his servants terribly.”

“Let go of my hand. Who are you? Why are you telling me all this?” Adrenaline in her blood surpasses, the vein in her neck throbbed, calling for him to touch with lips, and then with teeth, and to try her blood. The heat from her skin almost burned Baldwin's lips near her ear.

He stepped back half a step, releasing her hand. “About Michele and the Peacock, I would have thought” And added. “They deserve it.”

The girl turned and backed away from him, the glasses on the tray in her hands rang and seemed about to fall and will break, Baldwin deftly picked up one of the glasses. Her pupils were dilated, her eyes were blue, and the skin on her cheeks, where there was no mask, was glowed red. Baldwin took a sip from his glass. “Thank you.” From such an innocuous phrase, her heart pounded even faster. She turned and disappeared.

The rest of the evening, Baldwin didn’t see or feel the girl. He didn’t understand what he had just done and why.

* * *

Later in the morning in his house, he lying in bed and looking at the ceiling, he replayed in his head what happened at the reception. He licked his lips, thinking of her neck and throbbing vein. He imagined how he would hold her by the throat and how her pulse would beat in his hand. How he will control her. He found her maddening and intoxicating. His cock twitched. He wanted to fuck her. Subordinate her. He clenched his fists. His cock was already hard and throbbing. Baldwin desperately wanted to touch himself. “Fuck!” He growled through his teeth and untied the drawstring on his pants. He spat on his hand. He squeezed his erected cock, slowly moving his hand, gaining a steady and familiar rhythm.

He closed his eyes imagining her naked beside him, how the tips of her fingers touch his skin. How she would ask him to touch her. Her legs are spread only for him. How he will tease her, his cock would be rubbing between her wet folds, teasing her clit before guiding himself inside her. What she will be wet and warm.

He felt he was already close. He imagined her hands touching him, nails scratching his back, how she moans his name. His body stiffened, sperm spilled on his fingers. Baldwin bit his lip, feeling the taste of blood and metal. A few more hand movements and a deep sigh.

He licked his bitten lip. He took off his remaining clothes wiping his hands and a cock of it. Naked, he passed for wine. He needs to hunt today, and next, he will find this girl. For a long time, he didn't feel such an attraction to warm-blooded.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> * mask-maker


	3. Chapter 3

Baldwin did as planned, he went hunting. The hunt took all day, he returned early the next morning. He didn't find large animals, but the hunt helped him get to be satiated enough and distracted, he felt great. He returned to Venice relaxed and satiated. He was ready to get down to business again.

Today he was in the Doge’s Palace and was in negotiations. He managed to win over to his side a majority of The Council of Ten. Times are changing, but people not changed, some people want money, other people are frightened by threats. Gradually, he returning the rule of the city to the hands of Philippe.

He walked across Piazza San Marco past masked people, they celebrated the carnival week. Also, whores wore masks, regardless of the time of the year, this was their characteristic feature. Once the city powers even forbade wearing masks, so they wanted to instill morality in citizens. They were very naive or stupid.

Seeing the whores, Baldwin thought about yesterday morning. He definitely needs someone to fuck. He was not a frequent visitor to Venice, but he had female-vampire friends in the city who will not mind spending time with him.

When Baldwin decided to surrender to vice, he smelled cinnamon and bonfire, as well as orange and grapes. He took a deep breath, listening to his feelings, she was nearby, in the square or maybe on the next street, the water around made orientation hard. He stand for several seconds listening to people around then he heard the noises, he knew which side to look for her.

She was a few meters from the poor fellow looking for his missing wallet. She was wearing a mask again, this time white with a purple pattern. She just stands in the crowd of onlookers, and she with them wailed about crime, it seems that the onlookers were not onlookers, but worked together, they also wore masks. Baldwin to watch from the side, he tried to be inconspicuous and hide in the crowd. He was without a mask today. So there was a chance she wouldn't recognize him. Or doesn’t recognize out right away.

Intuition didn't disappoint him, after a few minutes the girl and several of her colleagues stepped aside, discussing their parts, Baldwin was far enough to not be noticed, but not enough not to hear their conversation. They each argued about their share, Baldwin wanted to intervene. A minute later they went to the opposite side of the square.

For several hours, Baldwin watched their work. One of the thieves found the victim, called to the others, someone stole the wallet if the victim detected a wallet loss when the thief was still nearby, the remaining thieves pretended to be townspeople and shouted an insult about theft and attracted attention. Baldwin also noticed that thieves share with the guards, thieves did it several times a day, even the most stupid guard be able to notice a well-worked out scheme in this.

The girl was incredibly agile, she was nimble and light as a boy. Her fingers flew around her victims. Baldwin thought again how these fingers would touch his skin. He wondered how old she was.

At this moment, the girl went in his direction, she didn't notice him, but Baldwin decided that he had enough to hide. He took a step in her sade, she backed away, noticing him. "You." She whispered. Still, she recognized him. She wanted to run away, but the crowd blocked her from turning and running away, and this time the crowd was not of her colleagues.

Baldwin came closer. "Don’t run." Her heart was fast pounding again, her pupils were dilated, and her eyes were blue and bright. She is probably beautiful without this hood, under which her blond hair hides and without boyish clothes. Baldwin thought and before his eyes flashed for a moment what was she like in his fancy. While he was fancying, she had enough seconds to get through the crowd. Baldwin decided not to catch up with her. He was worried about his obsession. He usually likes other women, not girls who look like boys. He usually likes female-vampires.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> wearh=vampire

The next few days, Baldwin tried to avoid Piazza San Marco and other crowded places. He refused to attend several parties. He really wanted to see her again, and this time not to scare her, and tried to talk with her.

He was desperately trying to distract himself he went to one of his friends female-vampires, he had known her for about a thousand years, now she settled in Venice and took the name Beatrice. It was terrible, he thought about the girl, probably he would even call Beatrice the name of the girl if he knew girl's name. He closed his eyes and imagined in front of him was a blond and blue-eyed girl, he imagined how she would look into his eyes, how to look for him with his lips and whisper between kisses. But with him was Beatrice, she was cold like he. And probably the worst part has Beatrice understood everything Lucius Segeric Benoit Christoph Baldwin de Clermont obsessed with someone.

It was not like of the father and Ysabeau, definitely not, the girl is not his mate. He is obsessed with her, previously it was already with him. He convinced himself if he owns her, everything changes, that was already the case, and he would no longer feel such an attraction. He will not look for her smell in the crowd, and when he closes his eyes, he will not see her blue eyes and her blush.

In the meantime, his thoughts kept returning to her. What is her name?

He was in the family house, avoids contact with people, and wrote letters, reports for his father, he even wrote to Ysabeau. Sometimes he told her about his relationship. Ysabeau knew how to understand and explain what was happening to him. Several hundred years ago, his father's friend Oliver meet Baldwin with his creation Margaret. Baldwin and Margaret had a relationship, it lasted several decades. Then he just got bored, but for Margaret their break was terrible. Philippe didn't know anything about their relationship and was so angry when he found out. And he got even more angry when he heard about their breakup. Oliver and father didn't communicate after that, Oliver was one of the few who left the Order of Lazarus. Baldwin didn’t feel guilty and didn’t understand why his father and Oliver were so angry with him. But Ysabeau explained to him, for Margaret he was a mate, but he didn't even notice. Since then, when it comes to women, he has been asking Ysabeau for advice.

Baldwin spent almost the whole day in the room enjoyed wine and pretended that he really needed to write so many letters. In fact, he knew where and why he would go in the evening, and delayed this moment. He wanted to find her but he didn't want to scare her, and he didn't want her to run away from him again.

He wandered around the city for half a night. He tried to be distracted. He didn't listen and didn't look for her. Here and there he came across masked people, now was still a carnival week and townspeople was in no hurry to go to bed. He tried to avoid people. He heard the sounds of a struggle while on one of the narrow streets along the canal. It inspired him a fight is exactly something he needs. Usually, he didn't get into fights with humans. Humans had no chance against him. But now a fight would be a great way to distract.

Two guys hit to the man. Baldwin was not interested in justice, he didn't care about the life and health of the man. He just wanted a fight, and he got it, one of the two even almost hit him before Baldwin knocked out this guy, the other guy just ran away. The man whispered thank to him. That to be not what Baldwin wanted. But this situation gave him an idea of how he could be distracted. Until the morning he wandered around the city in search of a new fight. Several times he witnessed some kind of dispute, he wanted to intervene, but it would be boring, they will run away or losing consciousness after his first hit. Maybe he should find a vampire for sparring.

The next day he again went to the next meeting, and then he tried to keep himself busy with letters and even arranged a check for the servants he checking whether it was clean in the kitchen and attic. Baldwin found out by chance that the house had an attic, a few days ago when he wandering aimlessly around the house. Vampires lived in this house, they never cooked here. They built the kitchen only so that the architect would not have any questions during the construction. Philippe liked very much the architect of this palazzo. Philippe didn't want the architect to learn about the creatures.

The next night, he too wandered around the city in search of adventure, and the adventure found him. He heard heavy steps. Someone was chasing someone. Then her smell came over him. Baldwin didn’t think, just ran to the side noise.

The girl, this time she was without a mask, she was running away. The guards of some noble were chasing after her. Whose guards is it doesn't matter, they don't even understand what will happen to them. For a second, he has been before one of the guards, who clearly didn’t expect to crash into a vampire, who, moreover, a second ago was not in this place. Other of the guards heard a noise and stopped. One of them was dressed in the same uniform as a guard lying on the ground. On their uniform was a coat of arms green stripes on a red field, the other two were wearing the red uniform of a city guard. Four guards, apparently she stole something valuable from one of the noble, otherwise why such an honor for a young thief.

“Who are you?!” The guard screamed at Baldwin. The guard clearly didn't understand what was happening, and he certainly had no idea whom he had faced. Everything happened quickly, the guard tried to resist, but he quickly lay down next to a colleague, unconscious. Members of the city guard just lifted their hands.

“Drop your spears and you are free!” Baldwin commanded. Two spears fell at his feet immediately. The guards were already running away.

The girl looked puzzled at him and backed away.

She wants to run away again. “Don't run away.” Baldwin said quietly. He raised his hands in a conciliatory manner and taking a step to her.

“Don't come near me! What are you?”

“Usually people say thanks in such cases.”

“Stay there!”

“Well, I will stay here, but you thank me!” Baldwin said quietly.

“I will not think about to thank you! I would run away from them, but now they will look for me for this.” She pointed the finger at the guards lying on the ground. “Besides, those whom you let go of will tell about me and then every guard in the city will look for me. There really is something to thank you for!” She growled accusations.

Baldwin looked at her, at the blush on her cheeks, her heart was beating fast again, but this time not from fear. He took a step forward, she a step back.

“Stay there!”

“You didn't fulfill the terms of our the transaction, your gratitude and I would stay in place. So I, too, doesn't fulfill my part. Is everything right, don’t you?”

“Who are you? Why are you following me?” She continued to back away, not looking away from him.

Good question. Why? I want to fuck you, I'm obsessed with you, I see you when I close my eyes and wander around the city looking for your smell. But he answered. “I am Baldwin de Clermont.”

“Who are you, what are you, not your name.” She explained her question.

“Wearh, I am wearh.”

“Is that a witch?”

“Of course not!” Growled Baldwin. She took a few steps back. “I have nothing to do with witches.”

“Then how did you do that?” She pointed to the guards on the pavement.

“I'm strong.” As a matter of course Baldwin explained. “We have to go, one of them is recovering.” He pointed somewhere behind his back, clearly implying a guard.

“We? I don't want to go anywhere with you!”

"Don't come with me, just don't stay here. You don't want them to see you and tomorrow all the guards will look for you." Baldwin explained as to a kid. He tried to be calm. She took a few steps back, not taking her eyes off him.

"What did you steal that the guards were chasing you?" Baldwin asked. He taking a step forward, she took a two-step back. "Listen, I don’t mind dancing with you, but now you need to go a little faster and better face forward. I promise I won't bite you." And added. "Today."

At the last word, she stumbled over a stone on the pavement and almost fell, Baldwin hold of her. And they are standing in the middle of the night on the street, she is in his hands, her heartbeats fast and beats against her ribs next to him.

"Let go me!" He obeyed.

"Let's get out of here." They went to the Grand Channel here was crowded. Her heartbeat slowed a little. "Tell me your name." Baldwin asked.

"What for?" Knock-Knock-Knock.

“You know mine.” Knock-Knock-Knock.

"Why are you following me?"

"Would you like to be in a canal or a prison? Most likely you would be caught up, you are tired, you want to eat, and I think you haven’t slept for a long time." Baldwin explained. "I'm waiting for your name."

"Baldwin or what your name is. You are pursuing me, you are a witch, or as you said a wearh, I don’t want to tell you my name..."

“I'm not a witch.” Growled Baldwin.

“And this too is not the best tactic.” She meant a growl and again backed away with the clear intention of running away from an uninvited follower. But she was prevented by guards running in their direction, this time, not ordinary guards, among them, was an officer.

It’s interesting that she stole and from whom. Baldwin took her hand and, despite the protests, moved her behind his.

“Excuse me, signor.” The officer began. “This person has committed a crime and should immediately be delivered to noble Quattroki.”

“This person is under my protection. If Quattroki against, he knows where to find me.” The officer opened his mouth... “So tell to Quattroki.”

“Signor.” The officer said, turning around and walking away with the rest of the guards.

“Who are you?” Asked the girl.

“Baldwin de Clermont. Remember this name.” He said, pulling her to him, now he could look in her light blue eyes. “Your name?” He still held her hand tightly, but she didn't break out.

“What is a wearh?”

Baldwin took a sigh. “You saw how I fast and strong. I heard your heartbeat and your smell a few hundred meters before I saw you. I can hear your heart beating and I can get it out of your chest, but I won’t do it. So tell me your damn name right now.

“You're cold.” Baldwin gripped her hand tightly. She just smiled. “Carly”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Carly (or Carla) form of the name Carlotta


	5. Chapter 5

“Why did they chase you, Carly?”

“I took something of mine.” Baldwin patiently listened to her explanation. But she seems not to have planned to continue.

“They don’t think so.”

“I don't care what they think. This thing belonged to my father. I took her.”

“What happened to your father and why Quattroki had your father's thing?”

“My father made masks, he worked with Quattroki, but then refused. He was killed. His business is ended. I think until today no one knew about me. ”

“What is this thing?”

She smiled sadly.

“Where did you want to hide it?”

“You ask a lot of questions, Baldwin de Clermont.” She tried to free her hand. He still held her. Now he let go.

“Where are you going?”

She took a few steps back. “Don't follow me.”

“Do you want to have dinner?”

“Another time.” She turned and ran.

* * *

The next morning, Baldwin went to the square she was nowhere to be found. In general, there were few people on the square, even thieves were not. The carnival week was over and the city returned to its dull and wet life. He was in the Doge’s palace again, saw nobles again, talking about something again, threatening to someone... But he was thinking about her.

Upon coming home, he found a letter from Quattroki and a request to meet. Quattroki was waiting for him to visit tonight.

Maybe Quattroki will tell something explaining who she is, and what she stole from Quattroki or Quattroki stole from her father. In any case, Quattroki knows exactly who her father was, and he will tell Baldwin about it.

Almost in time, Baldwin arrived at the Quattroki Palace. He paid the gondolier and climbed the steps to the front door. Baldwin is already used to the fact that everyone in this city is late and do it on purpose. He was also late, but as a soldier, he couldn't accept that being late might be the norm. Baldwin knocked on the door, he was sure that he was noticed in the boat when the gondolier turned towards Quattroki's house, but they were in no hurry to open the door. A minute later a servant appeared in the doorway. The servant asked the guest's name and did he has an appointment? But, according to Baldwin's expression, the servant quickly realized that there was no need to make the guest wait, otherwise someone would soon be left without his head. He immediately let the guest into the house.

The house was a typical Venetian palazzo, tastelessly decorated with gold patterns. Humans live so little, but at the same time tend to surround themselves with completely unnecessary things, and spend time trying to pass themselves off as who they are not.

Baldwin had already met Quattroki at one party. Quattroki was the son of a merchant and grew up in some kind of bazaar. Quattroki managed by some miracle to take place in the nobility of Venice, and he wanted to be in the Great Council. Baldwin heard stories about how Quattroki tried to bribe the Venetian aristocrats so that they recognized in him them distant relative and put him in the Golden Bookm Then Quattroki would have a chance to go to the Great Council. The plan was doubtful, however, every one himself chooses what to spend his life on. He who wants to become a ruler will rule. But someone pretends to be one who will never be.

Quattroki entered into the spacious hall to meet Baldwin. It seems, for him, The Venice Carnival had not yet ended, he was dressed in a bright gown with feathers, only without a mask. He smelled of spices and olive oil, as well as gunpowder. The latter was strange.

“My dear guest, I am glad to welcome you to my modest home...” Quattroki started flattering, Baldwin didn't listen to him. A few minutes later Quattroki finished the soliloquy invited Baldwin to the living room and offered him wine. Baldwin agreed at this meeting must be something useful. Quattroki again started flattering, and he asked about Baldwin’s father, about Ysabeau's health, when would Philippe have grandchildren… Baldwin decided to wait for the wine and then get down to business, so he answered politely and almost without sarcasm, said that parents are in good health, there are no grandchildren yet, but maybe later...

Then the servant finally brought the wine, Quattroki immediately began to praise the wine, talk about all the merits and timing of aging. But as Baldwin noted, it was nothing more than red from the north of Italy, the maximum of two years of aging and Baldwin's taste is too sweet.

Until the monologue began again, Baldwin gets to work. “You invited me.”

“Yes.” Quattroki began. “Theft took place in my house yesterday.” He swallowed. It was evident that he was picking up words to continue. “The guards found a thief, but...” He paused, drinking some wine from his glass. Quattroki was nervous. “The guard informed me that the thief is under your protection. I...” Then Quattroki generally began to stutter. “I... I would like to... know... why you... protect the thief?” He finally said.

Baldwin was even a little amused.

“What did she steal?” Baldwin asked calmly.

“It's not important now.” Tried to protest Quattroki. “But you need to return... the thing. And of course, give the thief to the guardians. And...”

Baldwin stood up and took a step towards Quattroki. The merchant's son looked small and scared. "What... What do you want... to do?”

“It won't be a pain.” Baldwin bite his finger. He took Quattroki by the collar and began to unlock Quattroki's jaw. Quattroki was scared sweat poured down his face, and there were tears in his eyes. "Open your mouth". Baldwin said calmly. “It won't pain.” Quattroki continued to clench his jaw. Baldwin squeezed Quattroki's nose and after a few seconds, Quattroki opened his mouth. Baldwin dripped a drop of blood from his bitten finger into Quattroki's mouth. For a second Quattroki looked at Philippe's son in shock, and then his eyes bleared and he, like a doll, fell back onto the sofa.

“What did she steal?” Baldwin asked.

“The account book of the master mask-maker Fabrizio Sarto.” Answered the otherworldly voice of Quattroki.

“What's in the book?”

“The cargos that came in the name of Sarto.”

“Why is this book important?”

“In book tells what kind of cargos came to Venice and to whom.”

“What are these cargos?”

"Gunpowder. Saltpeter. Sulfur."

“What did you want to blow up? Who are your allies? Who else received the cargos except for the mask-maker?”

“Doge's Palace. The nobles are dissatisfied with their position, younger sons, and others who wanted to get into the Golden Book. There were a lot of cargos for other merchants.”

“The revolution.” Baldwin grinned. “Who are these other merchants? The explosion didn't happen. Why?”

“The old doge is dead. We are no longer oppressed. All the cargoes were written, there are lists at the port guard and at the youngest son of the Ghirlandaio family.”

“Where are gunpowder and other cargos?”

“We sold everything, Ottavio Ghirlandaio is wrote everything.”

“What happened to the mask-maker?”

“He noticed discrepancies in cargos. A lot of cargo came to him that he didn't order. He should not have known. But he decided to figure it out. No one wanted to kill him, but he refused to be silent. We had to do it."

"Who killed him?"

“We sent the guard to scare him at night. There was a fire. His house and his family burned down. _”But not the whole family.” Thought Baldwin._

“Where did he live? Who exactly was sent to him? Name?”

“Near the workshop near the channel Rio di San Marcuola. Pelaratti. He had must only to scare him, but not kill him.” Quattroki repeated, he was still out of his mind, but he began to speak more lively.

Baldwin stepped closer and bit his finger again. “Open your mouth.” He dripped his blood into Quattroki's mouth. This time the merchant's son didn't resist. “Do you know who stole the book?”

“Girl. She climbed into the window of the last floor from the roof. This happened during the fireworks, no one heard, guests accidentally noticed her already on the street.” Quattroki spoke in a dead voice.

“Do you know who she is?”

“The guard chasing after her said that she was the daughter of the mask-master.”

“You will not look for her and forget about the book. If someone asks, you don’t know who stole the book. ”

“I don’t know who stole the book.”

Baldwin wanted to kill Quattroki, but wearh was patient, and he already had a plan on how to punish the conspirators, they would regret that they had not died. “Go to your bedroom. In the morning you will have a headache, you have drunk a lot of wine.”

“A lot of wine. Into the bedroom.” Quattroki said leaving the living room. Baldwin went to the exit, he said goodbye to the servant. The servant was clearly glad that the guest leaving the house.

Phillippe's son decided to pay a visit to the guard Pelaratti and then find the girl, now he knew where her house was once, and he was sure that she was there.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Vampire’s blood acts as a sedative on people, and people follow the orders of a vampire whose blood they drank.


	6. Chapter 6

Baldwin easily found the guard's house, just asked the gondolier, his answer was worth two coins. Half an hour later, Baldwin was already watching the guard's house.

While he waited, he noticed servants and the guard's family. The teacher came to Pelaratti's children. The wife went out to conduct the servants and the teacher. Then the guard came home, and an hour later, candles went out in the house. Baldwin waited until everybody in the house fell asleep, he heard the steady breathing of sleeping children, the guard, and his wife.

After waiting another half hour, he went to the house. The guard will have to replace the lock. By the sounds, Baldwin understood that the bedrooms were somewhere on the second floor, he walked along the corridor past the children and go to the host bedroom.

Baldwin closed the guard's mouth Pelaratti immediately opened his eyes. The son of Philippe put a finger to his lips, ordering the guard to be silent. The guard surprisingly quickly orientated and didn't resist. He simply pulled Pelaratti out of bed. Baldwin gesturing showed guard to follow for him.

“The account book of the mask-maker, do you know who stole it from Quattroki? Do you know where the thief is?”

“I don't know what you're talking about.” Baldwin hit Pelaratti in the head.

“The girl, the daughter of the mask maker, she stole a book. I don’t know where she. My people searched for her today.”

“Did you cover the smuggling of gunpowder? Who else from the guards knew?”

“Everything was wrong!” Protested Pelaratti.

This began to bore Baldwin, and he again bit his finger. Pelaratti looked at him with a mixture of curiosity and horror. "Open your mouth!". Baldwin said.

The guard didn't understand what the speech was and refused to open his mouth, Baldwin hit him in the solar plexus, Pelaratti opened his mouth to get air, Baldwin put a drop of his blood and repeated. “Who else from the guards knew about the smuggling of gunpowder?”

“Only young boys, they looked after the cargo, but they knew nothing. Everything knew only the officer Budjardini, but he died last year."

"When was the fire in the mask-maker's house?"

“At last year's carnival, on Fat Tuesday, during the fireworks, no one noticed a fire.”

"Are you set the house on fire?"

“Yes.” Pelaratti said with some sadistic pride. Baldwin growled, he always hated such people, who killed because of their sadistic whims. Baldwin can just throw Pelaratti from the window into the canal in this state he will not be able to swim.

“Have you left the master in the fire?”

“Yes.” Again the same pride.

* * *

Having finished with the guard, Baldwin went to the canal Rio di San Marcuola and the skeleton of the burnt building.

He heard a heartbeat in the building, somewhere upstairs. He knew for sure who was there. She was far away so that he could smell her. But he knew for sure it was Carly. Trying not to make noise, he climbed the burned stairs. The closer he came, the more he felt her smell, measured breathing, she was sleeping. He climbed into the attic and saw her wrapped in a pile of blankets in the corner of the attic. This part of the house was not affected by the fire, part of the roof remained intact, it was under her that the girl was sleeping. Baldwin came closer, next to her was the bag, inside the book, next to it were the remains of candles. Judging by the pose of the girl, she slept with a knife in her hand.

He decided to wake her. As he thought, she had the knife in her hand, and she directed the knife at him. Baldwin moved back, moving away from the knife blade. “Hey.” She looked not at him in surprise, sleepy but quite clear as for the human who has been awakened in the middle of the night. "We need to leave." Baldwin pointed to the bag with a book. “They’re looking for you.” That was enough for her to shake off the rest of her sleep and was ready to go. It looked like it was not the first time for her when she must to go somewhere in the middle of the night.

If she lived here all year, why did she wait all year to steal the book, this and many other questions were in Baldwin’s head, but now was not the time to ask it, later they would have a lot of time to talk.

They walked down in silence, and only on the street did she ask the obvious question. “Where are we going?”

“To my family’s guest house. They won’t search for you there.”

“To your family's house?” She wondered. “You protect me from the guards, everyone knows you. Do you think no one will think to check in your house?”

“I said the guest house.” Baldwin explained. “This house is just for such cases. Officially home is owned by a respectable old widow from Verona, whom no one has seen for a long time, and who to rent out a house.” And he added. “Once upon a time it was. But now this house belongs to my family, sometimes we use it or rent it out.” It seems that reassured to Carly. Baldwin didn't feel she was nervous, and she no longer felt fear.

It was dark on the street, late enough for everyone is at home, and early enough for servants and merchants to waked and hurry about their daily affairs. Soon it will begin to grow light, and the city will come to life they have time to get home.


	7. Chapter 7

They walked along the narrow dark streets, almost all the way, they were silent. At times Baldwin heard the footsteps and conversations of the guards, but they were too far away to notice him and girl.

On the bend, Baldwin stopped and pointed up at the balcony. “Can you climb to the balcony, and from there to the roof?” Baldwin asked and added. "I will help you."

The girl just smiled. “Give me a boost.” Baldwin folded his hands, making a stair out of palms. She took help, and after a second already been on the floor of the balcony. The girl pulled herself up and stood on the balcony about to climb then onto the roof. After a few seconds, she was on the roof and looked inquiringly at Baldwin down. A second later, he was already standing next to her on the roof. “I thought you were going to stay there and stare at my ass.” Baldwin just smiled.

They were on the roof of a two-story house associated with neighboring houses. It was a perfect enter if someone watched the door to the house. They moved to the neighboring roof, and Baldwin helped Carly go in the window.

“You said nobody knows about this house.” She removed her hood, while Baldwin closed the window. Her blond hair was disheveled, hair shorter than he imagined.

“None,” Baldwin confirmed. “Until nobody sees someone enter through the door. It is unlikely that anyone will be watching the roof of a neighboring house. Choose a room for you while I'm looking for candles.” Baldwin said, going down the stairs to the hall.

After a few minutes, he found candles. The girl chose a corner room. “Good choice,” Baldwin said as he entered the room. “In this room, one door and only one window, and this window open onto the Grand Channel. There are no houses nearby; we're here unlikely to be seen.”

“Here only one window is true, and it means here it is warmer,” Carly answered. “Now, will you tell me why you are following me?”

“I can bring you back, and you will be yourself hide from the guards.”

“I bet you have few friends.” Baldwin growled and pressed her against the wall in a second. “I'm not afraid of you.” She smiled, her heartbeat quickened, but not with fear.

“You are very self-confident now.”

“You didn't kill me when I stole your dagger, saved me from the guards, follow me.”

“Do you remember my dagger?”

“I for some time tried remembered but, you know, you're a burly and red-haired guy that narrows the search.” She smiled. "Now let me go, you're cold.”

Baldwin took a step back. “Take the blankets. We need to talk.” He said, checking if the curtains have tightly closed the window, not yet dawn, and he didn’t want anyone on the outdoors to see the light of candles.

Carly wrapped in blankets, and they sat on the bed.

“Do you know what's in the book?”

“Not really, my father told about cargos he didn’t order. He also said that it was dangerous.”

“What did you plan to do next when you got the book?”

She shrugged. “I haven’t come up with it yet. It all depends on what is written there.”

They sat on the bed and leafed through the notes of the mask-maker. Most of the text was about orders and sales of masks, delivery of goods, and payment of salaries to an apprentice. This interested Baldwin. “Where was an apprentice during the fire?” And Baldwin thought. _“Did an apprentice know about gunpowder?”_ Baldwin had not yet decided how much he could to tell her.

“Leonardo was my father’s nephew. Father took him as an apprentice when Leonardo’s parents died. He lived in a workshop and died in a fire.”

On some date was marks, something like a cipher, meaning the arrival of a ship with excess cargo. Next began notes about fancy dresses. What the fuck? Who would ever need to bring a fancy dress to Venice?

Baldwin realized that this is a code. Fancy dresses from China meant gunpowder, from the Balkans meant saltpeter, and from Italy meant sulfur.

Already beginning to dawn, and Carly began to yawn and nap. “You can sleep. I’ll sit here for a while. In the morning I will leave. Don’t leave the house until I return. Can you hear me? Stay here."

“I will be here, and I will not go anywhere. Bring me some food.” Yawning said Carly, she wrapped in blankets and turned away from Baldwin.

He sat for a while with the book, read the notes and dates, it coincided with the dates when the Venetian merchants started to refuse the services of Philippe's companies. The ships transported gunpowder and saltpeter, so it couldn’t take on board de Clermont's cargos. According to notes of the mask maker, Venice was like a powder barrel, so much gunpowder was brought to the city. He wanted to write his father about everything that had seen, about gunpowder, a conspiracy, and tell his plan.

While Baldwin sat with the book, it was already light outside, and the city was filled with daytime noise. Baldwin looked at the girl she was sleeping, her heartbeat was calm, and she would not wake up soon. He wanted to touch her, to remove the strand of blond hair that fell at her eyes. But instead, he just got out of bed and trying not to make noise, got out of the house and went to the roof of the Clermont's family house, which was nearby.


End file.
